Ministers grab headlines

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Now for a tale of three ministers - former education ministers, indeed. We learned this week from our estimable stablemate, The Sunday Times Scotland, that cracks are beginning to appear in relations between our First Minister and Deputy First Minister, Jack McConnell and Nicol Stephen, who were once yoked together in the education ministry.

Jack, it seems, is furious with Nicol for being a "self-promoting headline grabber". Not a politician, surely?

Then we learn from the forthcoming book on Donald Dewar that Sam Galbraith, McConnell's predecessor as education minister, saw Jack as a chap who threw tantrums in Cabinet over his lack of publicity.

"Jack believed that wherever he went, there ought to be huge flag-waving crowds accompanied by the media singing his praises," according to Galbraith.

It's good to know we now have a First Minister and Deputy First Minister who have so much in common.

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